Victim speaks out after attackers spared jail over knife threat

The Hull Daily Mail reports on the anger of a hate crime victim whose assailants, three young men who threatened him with a knife at the convenience store he owns, have been spared a jail sentence.

Hussein Ali was threatened with a knife and a plank of wood by Joshua Sainsbury, 22, Jack Hansom, 20, and Bailey Mackinnon, 18, in an attack at his store last November.

Ali was called a “p***” and said the trio told him “give me all your money” and “go back to your country,” while brandishing weapons at him in a terrifying incident.

At Hull Crown Court this week, the three men apologised for their conduct with Judge Jeremy Richardson QC telling the trio, “Each one of you deserves to go to jail immediately. But, to your credit, you have apologised manfully today.

“I want to think on this carefully, which is why I’m adjourning sentencing until Tuesday (10 May). Each one of you has never been to jail. But for the next few days you will get a taste of it. You will each go to the cells and come back on Tuesday. These next few days should be a lesson.”

The local paper reports that the three men addressed a letter to the judge following their short stint in custody and described the time as “the worst experience of their life” and “hellish”.

The court proceeded to hand suspended sentences to all three.

Mr Ali said that the police had not informed him of the court’s decision. He said, “I’m angry. How can they go free for what they did to me, when someone can be sent to prison just for carrying a small knife.

“What happened was terrible and still scares me now. I’ve had to have at least two people working 24 hours a day since what’s happened. If they came inside the shop, they could have stabbed me. You can only imagine how bad it could have been.

“I came to the UK to be safe from things like knives. I’ve been in Hull 16 years, and what happened that night was the worst thing I’ve seen.”

Ali added, “I’m 100 per cent scared now. I’m worried for myself and worried I will have to defend myself. I’m just surprised they didn’t go to jail and that the police didn’t let me know they were free. They have come to my own property and threatened me with a knife. What more do they want?”

Sainsbury pleaded guilty to affray and having a bladed article. He was sentenced to nine months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and must perform 200 hours of unpaid work.

Mackinnon pleaded guilty to affray and having an offensive weapon, and received six months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and must perform 170 hours of unpaid work.

Hansom pleaded guilty to affray and was sentenced to five months, suspended for 18 months, and must perform 150 hours of unpaid work. In addition, all three were made subject to three-month curfews and must not leave home between 7pm and 7am.

But none of the three assailants faced charges taking into consideration the racial abuse suffered by the victim.